Posted on 09/11/2006 4:58:10 PM PDT by Paul Ross
Iran's Mix-and-Match Air Force Still May Have Bite
Aviation Week & Space Technology 09/11/2006
Authors: Douglas Barrie and Andy Nativi
Israel's 1981 strike against Iraq's Osirak nuclear site was achieved without loss of any aircraft. But it is far from guaranteed that an attack intended to degrade any Iranian nuclear weapons program would have the same outcome.
The Iranian air force inventory is a mix of Western, Russian and Chinese combat aircraft--most of them obsolescent. Any spares for Western aircraft will have to be bought surreptitiously, or be work-arounds found using local technology because an arms embargo remains in place. Spares support is also problematic with the Russian aircraft.
But these issues do not necessarily indicate that the air force is toothless. It exercises regularly, with units of F-14 Tomcat, MiG-29 Fulcrum, F-4 Phantom, F-5, Mirage F1 and the Chinese F-7 aircraft still in its fighter inventory. Training exercises, Western military sources suggest, are taken seriously--with the standard of personnel and readiness far higher than that of Iraq's under Saddam Hussein's regime. Tehran has been watching recent allied operations in Iraq and Afghanistan carefully.
Iran also operates a network of air-defense radars. Though coverage of national air space is far from complete, nuclear-related sites will be an ever- increasing priority.
The air force still operates at least one or two squadrons of F-14s. These aircraft may be being used more as "gap-fillers" in providing radar coverage, rather than as a strictly air-defense platform. First acquired under the Shah's regime, 79 aircraft were delivered between 1976 and 1979. Maintaining and supporting the 30-year-old aircraft is a considerable challenge, as is the upkeep of its radar, the AWG-9.
While Iran has occasionally displayed the F-14 with either training or inert AIM-54 Phoenix missiles, there is serious doubt whether there remains a usable stock of this long-range air-to-air missile (AAM). All Iran's beyond-visual-range air-to-air inventory on its U.S. aircraft was sourced in the 1970s, during which the country acquired the AIM-7E Sparrow, alongside the Phoenix.
Iran is believed to have received 278 AIM-54s. Western sources involved with the missile's development suggest component reliability would now be a considerable issue. Instances of motor-ignition failure following release were recorded with the AIM-54A, the version of the missile which Iran has. The AIM-120, for example, has a motor-design life of 10 years. By comparison, any of the original Iranian AIM-54s are 30 years old. The state of motor and electrical components is also affected by the environment in which the missiles have been stored, and how often they have actually been flown on aircraft.
Western defense sources say they have seen no evidence of recent air force training or live firings with regard to the F-14 and the AIM-54. This would tend to count against suggestions that Iran has managed to reverse engineer at least elements of the missile and to refurbish life-expired components.
The air force may have cannibalized any remaining missile stock to provide a handful of "operational" rounds. Given, however, the likely age of the solid motors, the weapon is liable to be as great a threat to the launch platform as the intended target. A version of the Hawk surface-to-air missile--sometimes referred to as Sedjil--was also seen carried by one F-14. Again, the emergence of this program indicates that the air force was attempting to find a route to sustain a BVR weapons inventory for the F-14.
Iran's MiG-29s may be better off. The aircraft have been shown carrying R-27R (AA-10 Alamo) training rounds, and the semi-active radar-guided missile was almost certainly supplied as part deliveries at the beginning of the 1990s. At least one squadron of MiG-29s is in service.
The air force's inventory of within-visual-range infrared-guided AAMs is--if anything--even more disparate. Western, Russian, Chinese and "indigenous" weapons all remain in service. The most capable of these is likely the Russian R-73 (AA-11 Archer). Iran also claims to have developed its own infrared AAM, the Fatter. This appears to use an AIM-9P airframe. The exact status and capability of this missile is unknown. It is conceivable that Iran received Chinese assistance on its development--as with several other tactical weapons programs.
Iran also has a disparate inventory of surface-to-air missile systems, once more, much of it obsolescent. Again, however, this does not mean it can be ignored. Mission planners would face the choice of either trying to rely on the initial surprise of an operation, coupled with the suppression of local SAM defenses at the targets and on egress routes, or to mount a wider strike against air defense systems, including search radar, and command-and-control sites. Several of the nuclear sites appear to be protected by short- and medium-range SAM systems.
One long-range air defense system has been previously deployed by Iran, the Soviet-era S-200 (SA-5 Gammon). Medium-range systems include the Hawk and versions of the Chinese HQ-2, a development of the SA-2 Guideline. The Sayad-1 and Sayad-1A are local modifications of the HQ-2. The Sayad-1A is fitted with an infrared seeker for terminal guidance. Rapier and the FM-80 and FM-90 short-range systems are also deployed. Also on order is the Tor-M1 (SA-15 Gauntlet) short-to-medium-range air defense system. When this system enters service it will be the most capable in its class in the Iranian inventory. A variety of man-portable systems, including the SA-7, SA-14, SA-16, Misagh-1 and Misagh-2 (both likely based on the Chinese QW-1 airframe) are also in service.
Iran also has the option of pursuing an asymmetric response to any strike on its nuclear facilities and air defense infrastructure.
As has become apparent with Hezbollah, the regime in Tehran is willing to provide sophisticated weaponry to non-state actors and to sanction its use. Any attack by the U.S. or Israel, or indeed a coalition, would have to take into account increased activity on the part of Iranian proxies against both military and civil targets. These threats could range far beyond the Middle East.
Iran is also developing its ability to strike against naval targets--and the Straits of Hormuz is an unavoidable choke point. It has both the C-801 and C-802 in its arsenal. The latter is known locally as the Noor.
In terms of tactical weapons cooperation, it is in the naval arena that Tehran's relationship with Beijing is most obvious. Alongside the C-801 and C-802, Iran is also receiving at least two versions of the C-701 short-range anti-ship missile. One version is TV-guided, and the other has a radar-seeker. These correspond to missiles known locally as Kosar 1 and Kosar 3. Final assembly of these missiles also appears to be taking place in Iran. Kosar, somewhat confusingly, is associated with another Chinese anti-ship missile in the same class as the C-701, the Hongdu TL-10. The same company's TL-6, which weighs 350-360 kg., is known locally as the Nasr.
Two "indigenous" developments are the Fajr-e-Darya, which is based on the obsolescent Sea Killer airframe, and the longer-range Raad. The latter uses the Styx as a design base, but is fitted with a turbojet engine and bifurcated air intakes. The range of the Raad is believed to be in excess of 300 km.
Ping. FYI
I know. Whats with this crap? The Raptor chews up F-15s and spits them out regularly. I think its several hundred to 0 in simulated dogfights.
And the F-15 is a jet that has a perfect score in combat!
I can describe the Iranian Air Force in two words: Target Drones
It will certainly not hurt to take the air force seriously. There would also have to be substantial attention paid to anti-air installations. It might be over in a day, but it would be an active day.
As has become apparent with Hezbollah, the regime in Tehran is willing to provide sophisticated weaponry to non-state actors and to sanction its use. Any attack by the U.S. or Israel, or indeed a coalition, would have to take into account increased activity on the part of Iranian proxies against both military and civil targets. These threats could range far beyond the Middle East.
Quite frankly, it would be better for the US and Isreal to
attack Iran now and then deal with these proxies as they expose themselves.
Is there a point to waiting till they become strong enough
to defeat us?
And that supposes an air-to-air battle.
I think it would be Cruise Missles, then Stealth Bombers, then we would clean up those aircraft that did not fly out of the country seeking asylum.
Then, it would be MOABs and lots of them (if it goes MY way)
Iran is dead meat on a hook.
Cruise missiles.
Stealth bombers.
Arclight raids.
Tactical bombing.
MLRS.
155mm howitzers.
Apaches.
120mm mortars.
THEN the infantry and armor hit them.
They ain't got a chance in hell.
Cruise missiles.
Stealth bombers.
Arclight raids.
Tactical bombing.
MLRS.
I agree with these. After that, pamphlets telling the Iranian people that they had better get hauling because we are NOT going to finish the job for them.
And a followup note telling them that if the bad guys win the insurgency, we will come back and do it again.
I don't think we want to put boots on the ground in Iran.
Don't forget the 1990 Iraqi "resupply" of MiG and Mirage aircraft when Saddam flew them to Iran at the start of Desert Storm.
Don't make everyone LAUGH! Between the USAF and the IAF, the Iranian planes would have a shorter lifespan than a cockroach trying to cross Times Square during New Years Eve.
WHAT?????
LOL!!!!!!
But wait! What about Iran's 8 million man human wave? CANNON FODDER!
oh, please, I am laughing my head off at this, what they are calling modern and updated is so old and outdated, it will only work agains unarmed aircraft or civilian airliners
Drones aren't manned.
How about: Live Fire on Enemy Targets?
not that there's anything wrong with that....
Cannon Fodder: What Cluster Bombs were made for......
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